Work-Life Balance and Family-Friendly Programs for Faculty and Staff

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to supporting faculty members and their families as they navigate their professional and personal lives. We have a long history of assisting faculty with dual career issues, medical challenges, the birth or adoption of a new child, tenure clock hurdles, and general health and wellness. In fact, our campus is a national leader in this area, as recognized in a 2010 study conducted at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) cited the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as one of four exemplar doctoral institutions based on tenure-track faculty ratings of “work and home balance andsupports.”

A wide range of programs, services, and policies that help faculty balance their career and personal goals are described below. If you have questions or need more information, please contact the Provost’s Office (217-333-6677) or Academic Human Resources (217-333-6747).

Modified duties enable a faculty member to recover fully from the effects of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions or enable the primary caregiver of a new child to spend more time with the child immediately after birth or adoption without a reduction in salary.

The State of Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act (820 ILCS 260/1), and the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) provide working mothers with reasonable break time during normal business hours to express breast milk.

Additional Programs/Facilities

Waivers of search in the case of academic couples enhance the ability of the campus to recruit and retain faculty members when the appointment or retention of one person is contingent upon employment of another.

The staff of the FSAP is dedicated to providing quality, confidential assistance to employees and their families who may be experiencing difficulties that impact their lives. This includes assessments, short-term counseling, crisis services and referrals to appropriate resources. The FSAP offers this benefit free of charge to all faculty, staff, retirees and family members or significant others living in their household.

The UI Wellness Center endeavors to empower the Illinois community to incorporate healthful practices into their lives, and to help create a culture of wellness that supports healthy living, personal growth, and enhanced quality of life. Its goal is to help students, faculty, and staff attain successful and fulfilling studies, work and life.